About the Forest

From the ocean shore to the forests of the coastal mountains, the Siuslaw National Forest extends 135 miles, encompassing 630,000 acres from Tillamook to Coos Bay, Oregon.

The Forest is uniquely situated from sea level to Marys Peak, the highest point in the Coast Range Mountains.

It features four major rivers, home to salmon and steelhead, which flow from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Two spectacular and culturally-rich coastal headlands are distinguished by the native prairie grasses and rare wildflowers of Cascade Head National Research-Scenic Area and the towering trees and the jagged, rocky flanks Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.

Location Map

The Siuslaw National Forest is located along the central Oregon Coast and extends from the Pacific Ocean into the Coast Range Mountains.

Siuslaw National Forest Offices

The Siuslaw National Forest is administered through a Forest Supervisor’s Office (Corvallis, OR) and two Ranger Districts, Hebo Ranger District (Hebo, OR) and Central Coast Ranger District-Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The Central Coast Ranger District-Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area has three offices along Highway 101.

Siuslaw NF Supervisor’s Office

Hebo Ranger District

Central Coast Ranger District-Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

Waldport Office

Cape Perpetua Visitor Center

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Visitor Center.

Visit our Offices page to visit or get in touch with one of our Forest Offices.

National Forest Service Acreages & Statistics

About the Forest

The Siuslaw National Forest is a very diverse and productive region extending from Tillamook to Coos Bay along the Oregon coast. The forest encompasses over 630,000 acres of unique and varying ecosystems.

The Forest is situated within the Oregon Coast Range, a mountain range that runs north to south from the Columbia River to north central California. The Siuslaw National Forest is bordered on the east by the Willamette Valley and the west by the Pacific Ocean and is one of only two national forests located in the lower 48 states to claim oceanfront property. Marys Peak, the highest peak in the Coast Range at elevation 4,097, is a prominent view west of Corvallis.

Pacific Coast Scenic Byway Highway 101 runs parallel along the west side of the Forest and the Pacific Ocean, while Highways 26, 6, 18, 22, 20, 34, 126 and 38 provide access from the Portland metro area and central and southern Willamette Valley.

Four major rivers flow out of the Siuslaw National Forest into the Pacific Ocean: the Nestucca, Alsea, Siuslaw, and Umpqua providing excellent habitat for anadromous fish. Many other smaller streams and tributaries add to the annual route salmon and steelhead take to their ancestral spawning ground.

Abundant rainfall and mild winters provide growing conditions for a variety of vegetation species. The Siuslaw’s temperate rain forest, coastal influence, ocean-forest interface, relatively young Douglas-fir forest, and cultural history make it unique among all other national forests.

The Siuslaw has two distinct vegetation zones, Sitka spruce and western hemlock. The hardy Sitka spruce zone grows where the coast influence of mild temperatures, winds, and dense fog discourage other types of vegetation. Western hemlock grows well in shade beneath the dense Douglas-fire canopy. As Douglas fir matures, western hemlock takes over. Both zones contain freshwater, upland, offshore, and estuarine habitats that support a wide variety of vegetation, fish, and wildlife.

The climate of the Siuslaw is best described as a Pacific maritime with recorded rainfall of up to 100 inches per year in some parts of the Forest. Temperatures are moderate, averaging in the '30s to '40s during the winter with a very occasional snowfall. Summers are warm and dry, with cooler temperatures along the coast, warming up as you travel inland. A typical summer day at the Oregon Coast ranges in the '60s with fog as a very common occurrence. People who live on the Coast often say September and October are their favorite months of the year due to dry days and warm temperatures.